The Weekly SPHere Feb. 18, 2008
The Weekly SPHere is a weekly electronic publication for students in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. To submit items for the Weekly SPHere, please send an e-mail to sphnews@umn.edu.
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SPHere Spotlight
Improve your educational experience by participating in a focus group. The purpose of the focus groups is to provide feedback about student experiences so the SPH can revise its end-of-year questionnaire to obtain the most useful information possible. All students are invited to participate. Focus groups will meet:
• Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 29, from 2 to 3:15 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 4, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
• Friday, March 7, from 2 to 3:15 p.m.
Contact Dr. Srinivasan at srini055@umn.edu if you would like to participate. For questions contact Srinivasan, Bill Riley at riley001@umn.edu, or Eileen Harwood at harw002@umn.edu.
Help secure funding for University of Minnesota biomedical research by joining other Academic Health Center students at the Feb. 21 legislative hearing. The U will provide transportation to and from the Capitol. Buses will leave the Mayo circle at about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, and return to the U about 4:30 p.m. Those attending will not be asked to speak. For details, contact Jenny Meslow, AHC Office of Communications, at meslo001@umn.edu or 6-7072.
Student News
Career Services is looking for students to share information about their field experiences at a Feb. 27 informational sessioin, 12 to 1:30 p.m., A301 Mayo. The session will also feature a demonstration of the newly developed field experience Web site. If you interested in speaking and/or attending, please write to sphfield@umn.edu.
Students pursuing jobs outside the Twin Cities are invited to Career Conversations from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20, in Mayo A301. New fellowship opportunities with the ASPH/CDC will be discussed. Questions? Contact Monica Stadtler at mstadtler@asph.org or (202) 296-1099.
• Learn more online Detailed program information can be found at and
• Apply online
The deadline to purchase SPH apparel items is Monday, March 17. Samples are in the display case across from the student services center. Order forms can be dropped off in the student services center in an envelope with a check made out to University of Minnesota. Cash is also acceptable, but checks are preferred. Order forms can also be mailed to: SPH Student Senate, School of Public Health, Mayo Mail Code 819, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0381. Orders can be sent to students outside of the metro area. Please include your mailing information and an additional $5 fee to cover costs. Items will not be shipped internationally. Questions? Contact Stacy Dickinson at dick0254@umn.edu.
• Download the order form
• Download the shipping form
Applications are being accepted for paid internships at the Government Accountability Office. The internship targets students in the midst of a graduate program. The application is available at www.gao.gov - click on "Careers at GAO." The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 22.
A Peace Corps recruiter will be at the University on Tuesdays with office hours at either the Learning Abroad Center, 230 Heller Hall, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., or the St. Paul Campus Career Center, 198 McNeal Hall, from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Brian Green at bgreen@peacecorps.gov.
School News
Abstracts for the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) are due on Monday March 3. The abstracts will be presented at NOIRS in October. Abstracts of 300 words or less are invited across all industry sectors.
• Learn more online
The SPH WEBsters group has begun work on the SPH Web Integration, a Dean's initiative to strengthen SPH Web communications and services by consolidating a number of related but independent SPH Web sites into one unified Web site. SPH WEBsters includes Web professionals from each division of the school, CPHEO, the Advancement Team, and the Student Services Center. In coming months, faculty, staff, and students will be asked to volunteer to participate in surveys and focus groups. For more information, contact Mark Engebretson at enge@umn.edu.
SPH Events
The relationship between quality and costs in hospitals is important, yet not well understood. Learn why this matters and more on Thursday, Feb. 21. Dana Goldman, RAND Chair in Economics and Director of Health Economics, RAND, will present a seminar from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, in 2-137 Jackson Hall. The title of his talk will be "The Cost of Quality Improvement."
Make plans to attend the pre-release film screening of "Unnatural Causes: Is inequity making us sick?" Two segments of the seven-part documentary will be shown from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave., in Minneapolis. There will be a discussion following the film. The event is free, but seating is limited. RSVP to attend by contacting Becky Seel at 6-2273 or at seelx004@umn.edu.
The 12th Annual Minnesota Health Services Research Conference will take place Thursday, March 6, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information contact Jane Raasch at 5-0955 or raasc001@umn.edu.
• Download registration materials
Other Events
Feb. 25: The U of M Job and Internship Fair, Minneapolis Convention Center
March 4, 5:45 p.m.: Minnesota Commissioner of Health Sanne Magnan presents her vision and priorities for the state.
• Directions to the location